Impact switch for missile warhead



June 15, 1965 s. N. sAMBuRol-F IMPACT SWITCH FOR MISSILE WARHEAD 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April l1, 1958 SERGE/V. SAMBUROFF aA/u, ATTORNEYSBY G? gw June 15, 1965 s. N. sAMBURol-'F IMPACT SWITCH FOR MISSILEWARHEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April ll, 1958 Il H SERGE N. SAMBUROFFJNVENTOR.

12v/g GQ Bw gmsh MECHANISM NBII v MANY A7 TOR/VE YS FIG. 6.

States This invention relates to ordnance switches and more particularlyto a dual contact switch for use in the tiring circuit of a missilewarhead.

Among the disadvantages of prior contact switches for ring circuits ofmissile warheads and similar projectiles are the safety hazard resultingfrom accidental detonation due to handling, the failure to detonatebecause of shallow impact angles, and damage to the switch circuit dueto high accelerations created in launching.

In particular, the failure of prior switches to detonate upon shallowimpact with a target surface makes their use inadvisable. Theavailability of high yield warheads has made it unnecessary to achievedirect hits upon a target to insure destruction of the objective. It isvital however that detonaton of the warhead occur upon impact even withsuch yielding surfaces as the sea or soft earth. Moreover, certain ofthe present day warheads require that the tiring cuircuit be maintainedclosed for some minimum time after impact. Prior switches capable ofoperating at shallow angles of impact with a yielding surface were found.to be capable of eecting only an almost instantaneous closure of thetiring circuit after which contact was broken by the impact destructionof the switch mechanism, an event which occurred a comparatively longtime before the warhead could be detonated.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, resides in theprovis-ion of a new and improved dual contact switch for the tiringcircuit of a missile warhead.

Another object is to provide a new and improved dual contact switchwhich will insure detonation of the warhead should one of the circuitsbecome inoperative due to mechanical failure.

A further object is the provision of a new and improved dual contactswitch which possesses the qualities of durability and safety duringhandling.

A still further object is the provision of a new and improved dualcontact switch which is responsive throughout a wide range of angles ofimpact.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a switch capable ofmaintaining contact for a considerable time after impact, requiringalmost complete destruction of the switch to break an establishedcontact.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is an axial section of the switch of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a base end view of the switch;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section of the switch taken on line 3 3 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section of the switch taken on line 4 4 of FIG.1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective View of the switch mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is a -schematic drawing of the switch circuit.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a nose cone 10enclosing a dual contact switch mechanism 12 for a missile warhead whichupon impact of said warhead will insure the closing of at least one ofthe two parallel switch circuits and consequent detonation of thewarhead. The switch includes two pair of semi-cylindrical atent ECCContact members 26 and 30, each having radially adjacent semi-cylinders26A and 30A, connected electrically in common to form the lixed switchcontact on the first of the parallel circuits, and semi-cylinders 26Band 30B, electrically connected in common to form the lixed contact onthe second of the parallel circuits. Four deformable struts 13,electrically connected in common pairs 18A and 18B, form the movablecontacts for the two parallel switch circuits. The struts 18 extendaxially between the semi-cylinders 26 and 30 so that upon impact contactwill be certain to be established between at least one of thesemi-cylinders and struts, whether the strut be deflected laterally,compressed, twisted or otherwise deformed. Moreover, the length of thestruts defining the contacting members insures the maintenance ofcontact for a certain definite time following the impact of the switch.

Considering FIGS. 1 and 5 in detail, the conductive switch elements 18,26 and 30 are secured to a circular insulating base 16. The base 16 isprovided with an aperture 28 through which the iianged semi-cylinders30A and 30B extend. The lower ends of the struts 18 are bent laterallyand are secured within a counter-bored portion 29 of base 16 by means ofscrews 22 and arcuate clamping plates 21A and 21B (FIG. 3). The anged-semi-cylinders 26A and 26B are mounted on the surface of base 16 byscrews 32 passed through the iianged portion of said semicylinders andengaging the anged portions 35A and 35B of semi-cylinders 30A and 30B.The iianged portions 35A and 35B being cut away, as lshown at 37 in FIG.5, to clear the screws 22. The upper end portions of the struts 18 arebowed slightly inwardly and are secured by screws 20 to an insulatinghub 14. The switch mechanism 12 is secured to the protective nose cone10 by base screws 38 which engage a base flange 36 on said nose cone andby a -screw 42 passing axially tbroughhub 14- into a stub 40 dependingfrom the apex of said nose cone.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the tiring circuit which includes abattery 44, a firing mechanism 46 and the dual switches A and B. SwitchA is composed of struts 18A and semi-cylinders 25A and 30A. Switch B iscomposed of struts 13B and semi-cylinders 26B and 30B. The battery 44 ofthe firing circuit is connected to the parallel switches A and B byleads 34A and 34B secured to screws 32A and 32B (FIG. 2) andconsequently to the Iixed switch contacts comprised by semi-cylinders 26and 30. Leads 24A and 24B are attached to screws 22 (FIG. 2) andconsequently to the struts 18, constituting the movable contacts of theswitches A and B, and thence to the tiring mechanism 46. The tiringmechanism 46 is returned by lead 50 to the negative terminal of battery44. The tiring circuit is normally open circuited and can be closed byeither switch A or switch B or by both switches simultaneously. Contactof the outer conical body 10 with a target, whether head-on or side-0n,will result in a deformation of the nose cone 10. 'I'he struts 13A and18B will be forced either outwardly against contact 26A and 26B orinwardly against contacts 30A and 30B. Closure of either switch A orswitch B will complete the tiring circuit immediately upon impact andmaintain the circuit closed for an appreciable time due to the provisionof contacting elements of substantial length.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A contact switch for the tiring circuit -of a missile warhead,comprising, an outer warhead body, a switch assembly including two pairof semi-cylindrical contact elements a circular base of insulatingmaterial mounting said elements, said switch assembly including two pairof struts connected to but insulated from said outer body, means forsupporting said switch assembly within said outerbody, means forconnecting said struts and said contact elements in said ring circuit sothat one pair of struts and one pair of contact elements comprise afirst normally open conductive path and the other pair of struts and theother pair of contact elements comprise a second normally openconductive path, either of said paths being closeable upon displacementof said struts by deformation of said outer body.

2. A switch for the tiring circuit of a missile warhead, comprising, abase of insulating material having an aperture therein, a rst pair ofsemi-cylindrical contact elements mounted on said base, a second pair ofsemicylindrical contact elements projecting through said apertureinternally of said first pair' of contact elements, the contact elementsof each pair being electrically connected in common, two pair of strutshaving ends mounted on said base between said iirst and second pair ofcontact elements and projecting axially beyond said elements, a hub ofinsulating material attached to the opposite ends of said struts, a nosecone, means for securing said base and hub internally of said cone,means for connecting said struts and said contact elements in saidfiring circuit so that one pair of said struts and the pair of contactelements adjacent thereto comprises a tirst normally open switch and theother pair of struts and the pair of contact elements adjacent theretocomprises a second normally open switch, the deformation of said nosecone upon impact with a target forcing said struts into engagement withsaid contact elements thereby closing either of said switches and thussaid tiring circuit.

3. A contact switch for the firing circuit of an electrically detonatedprojectile warhead, comprising, fixed arcuate contact elements inradially spaced relationship with one another, means for supporting saidelements in the rearward portion of the warhead in insulatedrelationship with one another and with the warhead, a plurallity ofmovable Contact elements extending between said fixed contact elementsin spaced relationship with one another and with said fixed contactelements, means for supporting said movable contact elements Within thewarhead in insulated relationship with said iixed Contact elements andwith the warhead, and means electrically connecting said contactelements to the firing mechanism of the warhead whereby the firingcircuit is closed upon impact deformation resulting in radialdisplacement of said movable contacts.

4. A contact switch for the ring circuit of a missile warhead,comprising, an outer conical body, a switch assembly including a pair ofinsulating members disposed forwardly and rearwardly within said conicalbody, a plurality of struts spaced one from another interconnecting saidmembers, said struts being insulated from said conical body and thewarhead, two semi-cylindrical contact elements mounted on one of saidmembers in spaced relationship with one another and with said struts,one of said elements being disposed radially loutwardly of said strutsand the other disposed radially inwardly of said struts, meanssupporting said switch assembly within said outer body, and means for soconnecting said struts and said contact elements in said firing circuitthat said firing circuit will be closed upon impact deformation of saidouter body and engagement of certain of said struts and contactelements.

5. A Contact switch for the firing circuit of an electrically detonatedwarhead, comprising, pairs o-f fixed semicylindrical contact elements inradially spaced relationship within a nose cone, means for supportingsaid elements in the rearward portion of the warhead in insulatedrelationship with one another 'and with the warhead, a pluralityofmovable contact elements extending between said fixed contact elementsin spaced relationship with one another and with said'iixed contactelements, means for supporting said movable contact elements Within thewarhead in insulated relationship with said iixed contact elements andwith the warhead, and means electrically connecting said xed and movablecontact elements in the tiring circuit of-the warhead, whereby, thefiring circuit will be closed upon impact deformation of said nose coneand engagement of certain of said fixed and movable contact elements.

6. A contact switch for the tiring circuit of ar missile warhead,comprising, an outer deformable conical body, a iirst group of contactmembers iixed to said body in insulated relationship thereto, a secondgroup of contact members spaced radially of and in non-contactingelectrical relationship with said rst group of contact members and fixedto said outer body in insulated relationship thereto, a third group ofdeformable contact members connected to and insulated from said body,said third group of contact members'extending between said iirst andsecond groups of contact members and insulated therefrom, and meanselectrically connecting said third group of contact members with saidiirst and second groups in the tiring cricuit, whereby, impactdeformation of said conical body causes at least one of the movablecontact members of said third group to deform radially into contactwithrat least one of the contact members of said iirst or second groups,thereby closing said firing circuit.

7. A contact switch according tol claim 6, wherein the contact membersof each of said groups are annularly arrangedj about the longitudinalaxis of said warhead.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/55 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

CHESTER L. JUSTUS, FREDERICK M. STRADER,

Examiners.

3. A CONTACT SWITCH FOR THE FIRING CIRCUIT OF AN ELECTRICALLY DETONATEDPROJECTILE WARHEAD, COMPRISING, FIXED ARCUATE CONTACT ELEMENTS INRADIALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAIDELEMENTS IN THE REARWARD PORTION OF THE WARHEAD IN INSULATEDRELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH THE WARHEAD, A PLURALITY OFMOVABLE CONTACT ELEMENTS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIXED CONTACT ELEMENTSIN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH SAID FIXED CONTACTELEMENTS, MEANS FOR